Rep. Hank Johnson’s anti-Trump parody of “Hey Joe” draws sharp criticism and viral mockery on social media.

Georgia Congressman’s Parody Performance Goes Viral

Representative Hank Johnson, a Democrat from Georgia, ignited widespread reactions across social media platforms this week after posting a video of himself performing a politically charged parody of the classic song “Hey Joe.” The video, which Johnson shared on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday, was intended as both a tribute to Black Music Month and a satirical critique of President Donald Trump. However, it quickly became a target for conservative commentators and critics, who ridiculed the congressman’s musical abilities and lyrical approach.

In the video, Johnson admitted to his audience, “I hate to hurt your ears and everything, but I’m just learning to play guitar,” before launching into a rendition he titled “Hey Trump.” The parody’s lyrics, set to the familiar melody, included lines such as, “Hey Trump, where you goin’ with that gun in your hand? I’m goin’ down the street to shoot democracy. You know I wanna be a king someday.”

By Friday afternoon, Johnson’s performance had received more than 800 comments, with the overwhelming majority expressing negative views. Social media users, including political influencers and podcast hosts, described the video as “cringe,” “tone-deaf,” and “hilariously bad.” Some quipped that the performance might have prompted Jimi Hendrix himself to protest, while others mocked the congressman’s guitar tuning and songwriting skills.

Critics Pile On as Video Gains Traction

Ben Petersen of the National Republican Congressional Committee posted, “Democrats are doing another one of their cringe sing-a-longs,” while conservative influencers and comedians joined the pile-on with quips about Johnson’s history and musical ambitions. “If you’re going to do a song like this, it’s best to tune your guitar beforehand,” noted Jeff Charles, news editor at Townhall, adding, “The lyrics are something I could have come up with when I was five years old. I’m almost embarrassed for him.”

Others referenced Johnson’s past gaffes, with comedian Tim Young remarking, “Hank Johnson—Thinks Guam can capsize… Also Hank Johnson—Thinks he can play guitar. He’s dumber than AOC.” A user summed up the online sentiment, simply writing, “I love the internet.”

The video is the latest in a series of creative, and often controversial, social media experiments by Democratic lawmakers during Trump’s second term. Earlier this year, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and House Democrats faced similar criticism for their “choose your fighter” TikTok video. While these efforts are designed to engage voters in new ways, they also risk rapid, large-scale backlash in the age of viral content.

As of publication, Johnson’s office had not responded to requests for comment. The episode underscores both the challenges and opportunities that come with political communication in the digital era, especially when crossing into musical or satirical territory.